Kolkata: Women’s cricket in India has been a trending topic for quite some time now after the Indian eves put on a stellar performance in the recently concluded Women’s World Cup. But way up from the north, the 17-year-old Iqra Rasool is slowly making a statement as she is one of the rising stars in the Aditya School of Sports.
Kashmir in recent times as well as in the past has been a disputed place, where many people, especially women aren’t able to fulfill their dreams because of the social and religious boundaries.
Parvez Rasool in the only cricketer from the place to have made it big but very soon, he might soon be joined by a female speedster, who has battled against all odds to have dared to fulfill her dreams and Aditya School of Sports is perhaps the right place where her talent would be nurtured under the watchful eyes of the expert trainers and coaches.
Speaking to SportsCrunch on the sidelines of an event on Monday, Iqra who was into all kinds of sports since childhood said, “I used to play all kinds of sports since childhood. It was my coach, Sarfaraz Nabi who advised me to take up cricket.”
She further added, “I am very thankful to my coach who saw me playing all kinds of sports. He advised me to take up cricket and said that it would be good for me if I took up cricket. He only brought me here.”
Her coach Sarfaraz might have just been right about her taking up cricket. After she got admitted in the Aditya School of Sports, her performances have drawn praise from many and has impressed eminent coaches like Abdul Monayem, who has a lot of coaching experience in the Maidan cricketing circuit.
Monayem, who is the cricket coach at the institution watched Iqra from close quarters and has been happy at the adaptability shown by the 17-year-old.
“I must say, she is very good. Although women aren’t always allowed to play cricket back in Kashmir as a result of which her basics aren’t that strong, the adaptability that she has shown is quite impressive. Also, her physical strength gives her an added advantage and I hope she will continue to do well,” opined Monayem.
The young girl who is a right-arm fast bowler idolises veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami, with whom she had shared the stage for a brief amount of time.
Under the mentorship and guidance of the coaches and trainers at the Aditya School of Sports, she hopes to represent India someday in the future.
“I am thankful to the chairman and vice-chairman sir of Aditya group for providing me with this opportunity. I want to play for India one day,” said the 17-year old.
While dreams are things that doesn’t let one sleep as opined by the late APJ Abdul Kalam, this girl is well on her way in proving that statement to be true. Already having made it so far from a place where women aren’t encouraged to take up sports, Iqra is well on her way to fulfill her dreams.
SportsCrunch wish her all the luck for her future endeavours.